Growing A Set

Farm-To-Table Material For Us By Us

For a bicycle maker working in an industry that is decidedly nonferrous, it’s a gift to have options.

In 2003, a collaboration between Dario Pegoretti and myself resulted in Columbus manufacturing a contemporary set of over-sized steel tubes for those of us for whom lugs were the joining method of choice. Spirit For Lugs became a reality in 2005 and immediately became a popular option. SFL is used widely in North America and around the world. In 2007, Dario and I created our own set we call PegoRichie.

In 2009, we began re-purposing this set so that the demand for even larger diameters could be accommodated. Whether it’s about rigidity, the market, or fashion, the goal was to take what we had and grow it.

Since 2012, there has been PegoRichie in ÜOS dimensions. The PegoRichie Über OverSize allows you to fabricate a classic frame that’s 21st century light and has all the technical, aesthetic, and emotional attributes one associates with a steel bicycle. The material is for those who work in the traditional manner to make modern and compromise-free bicycles in an era when most other frames come out of a mold and from a far away land.

To complement the project, we also considered the front fork. While it’s common to choose an industry supplied part to hold the front wheel, some bicycle makers prefer to do their own work. We now have ÜOS 27mm fork blades paired with a lightweight 28.6mm steel steerer as well as the Falz CF fork by Pegoretti Cicli. When all components are used together, it’s a game changer. All of this is targeted at those who, like us, make bicycle frames rather than manufacture them. The same care that we take when we fulfill a commission can be found in the design of these tubes from Columbus.

In 2003, all of this was a dream. Today it’s an option for all of us to embrace.